


Dissonance

by Arkscythe



Category: Original Work
Genre: CIA, F/M, Fiction, Gen, Jokes, Killing, M/M, Multi, hero - Freeform, villian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-29
Updated: 2017-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-11 20:39:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7906942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arkscythe/pseuds/Arkscythe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The definition of a hero is often obscured... in reality, evil is necessary... what happens though when the villain wins?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Prologue

Amidst the glowing ruins, flames licking along the buildings as snow burned and sizzled to steam, bodies everywhere, burns revealing flesh that held a bright crimson color, muscle, bone, and even fat exposed from corpses. Some lay slashed, cut, their faces contorted in pain, fear, and some a savage anger to stop their oncoming doom. The sound of stomping into the bare, dry dirt filled the air as in the raging flames, 2 figures greeted my eyes. One stepped with a weight, an armor… a machine, holding a sword that burned with flames while the body, laced with wires, and tubes of strange metal running all into its segmented back, a crimson visage outlooking to the destruction before it. And there… I saw you. Standing there, paralyzed as you stared at the aftermath of destruction and carnage. And you smiled.

Smiled at what you caused.

A darkness had swallowed me whole, and though at the end of the tunnel one could always expect the light and angels to greet you…

I was met only with a world without you.

Slowly, light began to fill the vision of Harrison, his eyes almost held shut by a sleep that would threaten to drag him back to unconsciousness, his mind reeling as a pain lingered in his chest which spread throughout his entire body. He looked around carefully as the visions that greeted him remained blurred for a few moments, his brain piecing together the events that led him to where he was at, wherever he might’ve been, but nothing came to him. He tried to turn his head with what little strength he had, his body feeling pulled apart as his limit was reached within only seconds. He tried to groan as pain shot hard throughout his body and he relaxed back against the softness of the object under him, his head cradled carefully as he closed his eyes a moment. As he blinked once, he saw his vision begin to clear, and he continued blinking slowly as the world slowly came into focus, his mind piecing together where he was as he looked at the various objects. A curtain, a monitor that beeped almost every second, a light above him, rails to his side, a bag with water hanging to it as a tube ran from it into him, various others alongside it. He lifted his head slowly with what strength he had as he looked at the machine again, noticing it had numbers and lines that began to become familiar to him, a monitor that stuck to measuring each beat of his heart as it pumped life all throughout his body. He slowly moved his sight back to the curtain as it opened, a man with gray hairs, a clipboard and lab coat that told Seraph where he was exactly. A hospital. The doctor began to speak as he flipped through his clipboard, walking through his words slowly yet concise although Seraph could understand none of it. His hearing had yet to fully adjust back to the world, and the doctor took notice to this as Seraph motioned with his mouth, feeling vibrations come from it before he slowly began to recognize his own voice. 

“Where…?”

The doctor smiled as he finally heard a word they both could understand before he replied calmly 

“ Harrison Alistor, you are inside the Rebirth Hospital, do you remember anything that happened?”

Harrison looked around again for a moment as he gathered his thoughts, a hole in his memories as he tried to piece together an explanation as to how he may have ended up here, how he might’ve come to the need of such aid. He looked back toward the doctor and began to shake his head, before he relaxed quickly as he felt pain, the doctor nodding in acknowledgment as he flipped through the clipboard. 

“You’ve been here for the past week, getting used to your new heart. You were killed at the scene of a crime and were pronounced dead for 15 minutes, luckily though, a compatible donor was found to have had around the same time of death that you did, we were able to save you by bringing you back with controlled electric shocks. Now I know you’re trying hard to piece together what happened but can you tell me anything about yourself?” 

Seraph nodded absently as he heard the story, still trying to piece together a part of the past that led him here, but he began to speak in broken words, pain shooting through him with each one. 

“Harrison…. Family…. orphanage… dangerous… job…. Greg… Cynthia…” 

Seraph smirked weakly as he pulled all the knowledge from his mind before he looked at the doctor who looked back at him with a look of shock. Seraph became nervous as the doctor turned around and left him to himself, wondering what it was that he might’ve said that caused the doctor to flee. Slowly he began to look around the room as he waited patiently, his eyes looking for any more hints to what might’ve happened. The first thing he turned his attention to though was the gauze on his chest where his heart beat, large and covering the entirety of the area. Tubes ran into the gauze, underneath as water was pumped into his body in order to keep him hydrated from the operation. He slowly reached through an attack of immense pain, pulling at the gauze and looked in horror as his chest held 2 cotton filled holes, a horrible length of a cut sewn together from the operation to give him the heart. He slowly let down the gauze again before the doctor came back with someone Seraph recognized as Greg. He smiled at his friend before he felt it fade from his face as Greg held a grimace that consumed what little happiness the visit brought him. Slowly Greg reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring, the ring that Seraph recognized immediately, the one he was to propose to his lover. Greg put the ring in Harrison’s hand as he stared between his friend and the ring. Once Harrison’s eyes fell upon the ring, his brain addled with death and sleep began to awaken as the pieces began to fall into place. Harrison held no strength as his eyes widened yet, despite being weak, despite the pain, his mouth opened.

He couldn’t quite understand what happened in that room, but as the memories began to rise from their sleep, he was sure he could hear someone sobbing and yelling. Their pain apparent as slowly Harrison’s vision went black and he fell to sleep once again.


	2. CIA operative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To hold the blade and use it are two different things… 
> 
> in the end though, you can always be considered a threat.

Seraph stood with a knife in hand as he watched the blood seep from his target, his long black hair tied back behind his head, his tired brown eyes watching the targets neck spill its red contents, his face and body toned from training, a full black apparel decorating him as his pistol remained holstered. In his hand, his weapon of choice, a knife that was given to him by a previous lover who he cherished, but died from a heart disease. In it’s handle the engraving a wolf howling. Seraph reached over to his ear as he crouched down in the darkened mansion and began to speak quietly into his ear piece.

“This is S, I’ve taken care of the target, he won’t be moving anytime soon. What are the next directives, do I leave and try to find extraction?”

A calm voice came over the earpiece as Seraph surveyed around him, the room empty save for him and the body, the sound of wildlife outside in the dark starry night as the ground had been barren of grass due to their location being in Afghanistan. 

“S, this is T, you are clear to head to extraction down about 10 miles away from you, southbound, there will be a tunnel that leads you out to where a chopper will come and get you 2 hours from now. Think you can make that? Also, need I remind you that you can’t go killing everyone again just to maintain cover, the last time you did that in Tokyo there was an outburst of panic for a ghost that killed 28 people. 28 people who might I remind you, contained mister Tou, a member of politics we didn’t want you to kill?”

Seraph smirked in the darkness before laughing a small bit only to hear the calm voice sound a little bit more irritated

“Look, just come back in one piece and don’t kill more than you have to, that can create a lot of enemies and you don’t need that. T out.”

Seraph nodded before he stood up and looked around. He could completely ignore orders, traverse through the mansion and just kill everyone to maintain his cover or he could slip out completely unnoticed. Seraph smiled, he wouldn’t want Tyran blowing up his ear piece about how he was a piece of shit for not listening to what he just got done explaining. Seraph walked toward the window with the echo’s of footsteps upon the darkened tile, opening it carefully as to not make noise before he looked down. It was a bit of a jump but he knew he could probably reduce injury by rolling. That or climb down carefully, which sounded a lot better than risking a broken ankle since the last time he had successfully done that to himself. He swung himself over and gripped the window sill on the outside and looked down on the white walls of the mansion, looking left and right before he swung carefully, keeping his grip strong as he threw himself toward railing that was a little far down, catching it and groaning. 

“Even with these damn gloves on that still hurt.”

Soon he began to slide down the poles in the railing before looking down and seeing the ground far closer. He smirked as he let go entirely and landed nicely, his ankle feeling more than fine as he stood up and brushed himself off. Immediately, he laid down in the dirt and began to pad himself with the dirt, using it on his clothes to make them dirtier as well as his face, turning it’s white color to a light brown. Soon he crouched up and began to make his way slowly toward the expanse of land in front of him, pulling out his compass and seeing he was heading east, camouflaged in the land. Immediately he corrected himself, running carefully the 10 miles as to not hit any unwanted snakes or scorpions that could finish his job as an agent if he wasn’t careful, and finally making it to the tunnel within 50 minutes. Seraph smiled as he found the tunnel and began to climb down its ladder before covering the top again. He got to the bottom before pulling a cigar from his pocket and lighting it, smiling as it’s pungent taste filled his mouth as he began to smoke it, letting the light illuminate the tunnel as he walked. In truth, he kinda hated being a CIA operative, it was more control over everyone else’s lives than anything and even at points when his country shouldn’t have been involved. Every time something seemed amiss for even the smallest reason and it bugged his government, he was immediately set to action to kill someone and leave. It was tiresome, but hey, if it made money then it was worth it right? Seraph shrugged as he slowly smoked the cigar, leaving behind its trail of smoke as he carefully conserved it to use as a light source other than his lighter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The helicopter slowly landed as it had begun to drizzle once the team made it back counting only for the pilots, a medic, and Seraph himself who jumped down onto the wet pavement and sighed as he walked toward Tyran who smiled at him, before slowly pulling out a cigar. Seraph smiled as he walked down the metal steps and took the cigar, speaking with a smile.

“Thank you, I just smoked mine on the mission, glad there were no real casualties since I don’t know what I'd do without my cigars.”

Tyran hit Seraph in the shoulder before laughing, shaking his head and giving a calm, cool response as he always did.

“Well mister jackass of the month, if cigars are what’s gonna keep you in line, you should have told me and I would’ve bought a freaking crate to send to your house. Maybe then you’d stop being a piece of crap sometimes.”

The two men began to laugh in the rain before they began to walk toward the door that led back inside, a card reader at its right side as the two men took out their Identification Cards and slid them, opening the door and walking inside. As they began to make their way down the stairwell, each step echoing, Tyran spoke again, his eyes moving to keep Seraph partly in his vision.

“The chief’s been talking about making cuts again Seraph, I’m sure she won’t fire you if you continue to follow instructions but you gotta listen to what we say and direct you to do. I mean you aren’t stupid, I'm sure you listen but I just don’t get why you go nuts most times. You kill… you kill needlessly and it’s created some holes in trust in four of the seven nations and they’re already looking for a scapegoat. Heck, one of them is right here in our home.”

Seraph shrugged as the kept descending, working their way from the 75th floor to the 5th, the men on the 42nd as Seraph responded thoughtfully.

“Sorry that I'm doing it but it’s a force of habit, I'm not saying I want to kill these people, I feel bad about it in all actuality but… You guys give me the job of playing ghost in places where security is trying to hunt down ghosts like me and it gives me little space to do what you guys need me to. If you want, you can blame me once I'm dead for all the supposed ghost murders and we can call it even.”

Tyran just sighed, hearing the typical statement that Seraph made to dodge the responsibility that he needed to make for the actions he did. Tyran was only trying to help, after all, he wasn’t sure what the chief would say to an actual mission where not everyone wound up dead but instead was completed to regulations. He stopped at the door of the 5th floor and looked at Seraph straight in the eyes and spoke seriously, his normally calm tone deep now.

“Look, I just want to warn you is all. I’ve been working with you for 2 years now and you know what, I'd rather keep it that you don’t get fired for your criminal record. You’ve killed 78 people including targets and we’ve sent you only 24 missions, you’ve caused problems by 54 of those people not being on that list. Own up to it now and stop putting it off or you can get a new partner.”

Seraph stopped smiling a moment and looked at Tyran as he continued to stare at him, Seraph’s eyes going a little wide in surprise before he slides his card in the reader, Tyran doing the same as Seraph spoke slightly quietly as they opened the door.

“Never knew you cared that much Tyran.”

Tyran just scoffed. If it made Seraph actually be cooperative, then it was worth making him believe that was the case, even though, part of him did since they’d been pretty powerful as partners and able to keep a good line of accomplishing what’s needed. Soon, as they made their way into the cubicle-enclosed office alongside people making their way all around, one of them spoke from a little away’s from the two, his voice filled with admiration.

“Hey! The Angel and Tyrant are back from their mission! Nice job guys!”

Seraph sighed alongside Tyran, hearing people yell their congratulations to names they had hated more than anything. It was annoying to be admired for the wrong sense of accomplishment but to even be given a name that no one would ever be proud of. Seraph and Tyran finally made it past the cubicle section and walked into their own office where a woman sat at Tyran’s desk, her hair greying at the bangs as the middle was blonde, the onset of wrinkles beginning on her face as her blue eyes looked at the two as they walked in, a ball in her hand as she threw it up into the air and caught it. She was dressed in a business suit that made Tyran’s formal attire look completely cheap. Seraph groaned as he met eyes with her, closing the door to hear the news that she had to tell, their chief and commander of the operations in the CIA. She smiled at the two as they sat in the chairs near the door usually used for meetings or guests, which was rare since the information was shared across portable drives. Finally, she spoke, her voice high yet holding the crackling of age as she looked at the ball in her hand.

“So… Why do you think I’m here today boys? It’s not the first time I've ever met either of you, believe me, I never forget a face, but tell me, what does my visit tell you.”

Seraph looked at Tyran who wasn’t sure what to say since the fact that the director herself being here told them thousands of things but none were too good. Seraph shrugged his shoulders slowly before he smiled at her.

“To tell us… we got a promotion?”

The old woman smiled still as she threw the ball playfully at Seraph who caught it and she shook her head before responding back calmly.  
“I’ve come here today actually to tell you Seraph that this next mission will be your final mission before I cut you off. This will be of the utmost importance that you follow my instructions to the letter, even to the point they can make the dumbest person understand. Kill ONLY the target. If you dare kill anyone else, you and I will have a talk that you never want with your me. Now, here is why I’ve come down here myself. I’ve heard of your extraordinary wish to kill just about everything in your path when it comes to your mission and I want you to know that these things have consequences, just like mister Tyrant here knows all too well. You’re not a villain, you’re a hero for the country, start acting like it. I didn’t pull you out of the cubicles here to just let you walk all over and tarnish the name that the CIA has built for itself and more so, to make everyone come after you. You realize how dangerous that is? We would have to cut all ties with you. All ties. If you’re prepared to become an outlaw then hand me your resignation and I can work on submitting you over to authorities for a being a failure to accomplish the most menial of tasks despite how straightforward I make the instructions. Am I clear?”

Seraph nodded, swallowing having gotten an earful that already scared him half to death, Tyran looking as pale as Seraph felt. The director smiled before she stood up, walking around the desk over to the two and patting them both on the shoulder before leaving the room. Seraph looked at Tyran who finally looked back at him with a look of absolute exhaustion considering the situation that had just arisen before Seraph finally lifted the ball the director threw at him and spoke calmly.

“Ball?”

Tyran smacked the ball out of Seraph’s hand before giving him a small smile and shaking his head.

“Asshole.”

Seraph laughed, seeing Tyran laugh after situations like this that despite how bleak it seemed, he could look forward to being able to have a good end of the day, that, and that there was hope for the two of them yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The book is now fully available
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756RVWS4


	3. The Mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seraph heads to Europe and figuring out what to do, chatting with the Director... and her granddaughter

Seraph sighed as he sat on a train heading to Europe, a picture in his hand of an old woman in his hands who headed an operation of drug trade that spread too far across not just the country but the nation. Seraph was tasked with eliminating her as to rebalance out the economic system in the nation due to millions of dollars to be found missing from the national treasury itself, putting Europe at risk of no longer being able to make trade due to the crisis. Seraph put the picture back in his pocket as he swayed a little on the train as it passed over rough patches on the tracks. He closed his eyes and relaxed, thinking of a plan of attack, feeling the knife in his pocket. The memento gave him comfort for the most part, but it also helped him think of him at his bare necessities for elimination. The old woman, Janis, was placed in a mansion that held 2 levels of underground and more so, those two levels would probably hold money and drugs along with hired guns and the big boss herself. He groaned, remembering the directors words to not kill anyone but her. Seraph breathed again as he opened his eyes, the intercom coming on as the conductor spoke mechanically.

“Ladies and Gentlemen we’re arriving now at London’s station, I repeat, London Station. I hope all of you have a wonderful time in Europe and most of all, a safe day.”

Seraph smiled before he stood up, grabbing hold of the bar in the train before he felt the slow stop of momentum, a mechanical sound of pressure releasing and the doors opening as people poured out of the train, Seraph along with them. First thing was first, Seraph needed to head to a designated apartment where he would find it reserved and with information and equipment to help on his mission. He began to walk through the crowd of people, making sure not to bump into anyone. Once out in the sunlit street, Seraph began to ask people for directions to the Grand Oak Inn.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Um…. Excuse me? Is anyone here? Hello?”

Seraph rung the bell at the counter of a well furnished lobby, chairs scattered everywhere with books near them, the smell of mint in the air from fresh cleaning, sports on a single tv against the wall, and finally the counter with keys behind it where Seraph stood looking around for a single person. Finally, a door opened to the side and a woman who looked about in her 20’s with auburn hair, dark brown eyes with circles under them, and dressed for winter in a sweater like dress with stockings. She walked over to the counter, yawned, and smiled at Seraph who only looked at her with complacence. She spoke soothingly as she smiled,

“Welcome to the Grand Oak Inn, name’s Cheryll, what can I do for ya mister stranger?”

Seraph looked at her confused for a moment before he laughed a little at her formality, then he responded back to her, pointing to the keys behind her.

“I’m here for a reservation in room 52, the reservation password being ‘The silence is deafening’.”

Cheryll looked through a small book before she gave a sudden look of surprise before looking up to Seraph again. She turned slowly before grabbing a key and sliding it to Seraph. Seraph reached for it before Cheryll pulled back and spoke with amusement,

“For a Mister Seraph right? It’s funny, your name is awfully close to what some people call an angel, does that mean you’ve come to help us and our woes mister angel?”

She then reached out before Seraph took the key from her gently, looking at her before he shrugged, walking away, leaving her with a few words as he began to descend the stairs.

“If i’m an angel then the only angel I’d be is the Angel of Death himself to reap what souls cause woes and what souls deserve death.”

Seraph continued climbing the stairs, uncaring of what the desk girl may have thought of him, focusing solely on the mission he was assigned as he didn’t want the wrath of the director coming down on him at any point in time. Ever. Soon, Seraph reached the door, pulling the key from his pocket and unlocked the door with a small clicking sound before entering. He looked around the room, smiling as it was small yet cozy, warm with everything in reach. The kitchen in one corner, the bed in another, the dining room in the middle and balcony that overlooked the city. He sighed contently as he began to search the room carefully, looking for his equipment and the dead drop. After a while, Seraph pulled a brick from the wall and looked inside the hollow hole, smiling at the USB drive. He reached in and grabbed it before replacing the stone. He walked back over to the bed and pulled out a draw, smiling at a familiar backpack before pulling it out and finding only a silenced pistol and laptop inside. He sighed at the lack of equipment before he flipped open the laptop and plugged the USB in. Immediately the screen turned black and the director herself appeared on the screen, holding her hands together with a calm smile. Seraph smiled back only to feel that his mission was either about to get alot worse or alot easier since he’d been used to his usual partner. The director leaned close the computer as she began to speak,

“Hello Seraph, I’m sure you met Cheryll, my granddaughter, a nice little girl isn’t she? If you marry her, I will hunt you down.”

Seraph immediately gave a shocked look at the idea, he didn’t really care to that ESPECIALLY since he’d have to deal with director for the rest of his life. And that idea didn’t appeal to him. AT ALL. The director continued, seeing she broke the tense ice between them.

“Now, on to the point, Seraph your final mission for a while will be the elimination of Janis Black, drug lord controlling up to 30% of the economy of Europe. You aren’t to eliminate anyone else besides her, even if guns are pointed right at you. Miss Janis can be found in her mansion as I’m sure you know, now the best way that we’ve found in terms of point of entry and way to make it inside is to destroy the security system that she has installed. Our reports show that there is a cellar door hidden in the forest to the right of the mansion. If you can find it, you can get to the securities main control room that houses their systems defense for the upper floors and 1st floor. Disable it and moving around will be alot easier, be warned though, there will most likely be guards around or at least traps to prevent you from getting inside that cellar easily. Now, you’ve only been issued a silence pistol but that’s all i’m going to be giving you, your killing streak has only made it worse for you by this point and I can’t have more blood be put on our hands. Your involvement is strictly elimination of Janis Black, any others and there will be immense consequences. Worse than if you dated my granddaughter.”

Seraph had listened intently before he shouted back at the director, his face a little red from the subject.

“MADAM DIRECTOR THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN.”

Seraph stared at the director before she began to chuckle lightly before smiling at Seraph who sighed and smiled. She spoke again, this time seriously,

“I know you wouldn’t, and I’m sorry that the incident back then really hurt you like that. I heard about it from Tyran and I want you to know I only want to break the ice with you. I’m aware that… you have dissociative disorder.”

Seraph winced from hearing how he’d been researched so much before the director began speaking again.

“Look Seraph, In truth, I want you to take the vacation to find yourself, to figure out what you want out of life, so that you can figure out what it is you’d even do with yourself and the money we pay you. You are a danger yes, but I can tell that even you know what’s right and wrong… you just can’t feel guilty like the rest of us and I’m sorry you can’t. Finish this mission then come home, we’ll talk more here, if you’d like, I’ll even let you take Cheryll out for coffee.”

Seraph looked at the director, seeing genuine concern in her face for the incident earlier in his career. She was right though, he didn’t really feel anything, he couldn’t really care the normal way people were supposed to and if anyone could say it made him feel bad, he couldn’t even feel that either. Seraph learned to live with it, the hollow feeling, the feeling of never having any feelings at all, and despite how it ate at him mentally, all he could do was make jokes and laugh about it. It was the only thing that made him… ‘feel’ better. Seraph looked back at the director with an expression devoid of those feelings he faked for that one moment and his eyes looked at her not as a person but only as a human. Seraph spoke almost sadly,

“I’ll pass Director. Agent Seraph, beginning mission now.”

And with that, he pulled the USB out of the computer, severing the connection before closing the laptop and shaking his head. Slowly he laughed and smiled again, pretending that what they just talked about hadn’t happened. Seraph sighed as he slowly stood up and walked over to the balcony, pulling the cigar Tyran gave to him out of his pocket, cut it, then put it to his lips. He sighed, he usually only smoked the cigar when he finished a mission but he really felt the need to now more than ever. Seraph chuckled a little as he could faintly hear Tyran telling him that he’d get cancer if he did that. Seraph put the cigar down on the counter in the kitchen before going out to the balcony, and watching the people move on the streets as the wind blew through his hair. He would wait until sunset before he would go to the mansion and carry out his mission.

Seraph pulled the pocket knife from his pocket and wiped his finger along it’s smooth surface before flipping it out and sighing as he looked at speckles of crusted blood along the blade. Slowly he closed the knife and put it back into his pocket.


	4. This World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When you question all that is reality... you begin to see only delusions and illusions.

Seraph stared out among the buildings atop the CIA headquarters, his eyes blinking with each moment that passed. He looked at his ID that told him he was part of the society that eliminated others who would benefit those around them, part of an organization that only seemed to further their own agenda and destroy any chance for others to reach further. He stared at it as he thought more and more. When he arrived back, the Director hadn’t been in the building and was asked to come back later in order to meet up with her, receive the debriefing she had planned and move ahead from that point. Although, Seraph felt this feeling of alienation as the woman's words tore at him, these feelings that made him rethink the entirety of what it was he was doing. He had done it in order to bring people to justice, in order to make the world better with each action he did, even if those actions would be looked down upon. With this though, he didn’t know what he was doing anymore. Seraph stood up and slowly began to descend the stairs back down the building, each floor down giving him more time to battle with himself for reasoning that would let him keep doing what he was doing once he came back to the CIA, but he began to realize that no matter what happened, the society he lived in was full of hypocrites. The president was controlled by an aristocracy that fueled their own wants and desires, widening the gap between the poor and themselves while feeding senseless hope through things such as the lottery or the promise of a better life through education that could only be afforded by the aristocrats. The army took in these poor people who would be fed, clothed, and trained only to go to war, killing those of foreign country to obtain resources such as oil or land in order to further the power of their own country, dying for the sake of empowering those who already condemned their lives to being fruitless. On top of that, their country relied solely on technology and despite these facts and the information that built up over time over the internet, none of the new generations would use this power to their advantage, instead they would only focus on the pleasures of their youth and drown the country in their own helplessness from the situations they created for themselves. The people who were old, withered, grey, and were retired from their work still dictated the lives that the younger generation lived, a cycle that would place stress upon them from their own choices in politics, never letting those who were responsible and desperately trying to enact a change, would only end in utter failure. Seraph stopped once he reached the bottom floor as he held the handle to the stairway, opening it as he swiped his card through the reader, going into the lobby of the building. He left, heading for a familiar coffee shop, one that he always went to whenever he had thought of things that truly tore at him, and answers had left him. As he walked, he continued thinking, the affairs of the nation now revealing a dark truth to him. It wasn’t just the United States as a single sovereign that acted this way, but the other nations, keeping a circle, an infinite loop that empowered those who were rich and continued their line without any problem while those who were poor suffered from little choices of ‘advancement’ that were presented to them. Seraph opened the door to the cafe and sat down, ordering coffee absently, as the more he thought, the more he began to realize that the world didn’t care for its fellow people, others were out for themselves and eagerly had a view of self-preservation that didn’t allow for even family to interact with them when it really came down to it, it was just a front. Blood was weaker now than it was with water, and even then, it was safe to say that if people could advance in their lives from the death of their own family… they would do it. He took a sip of his coffee, the facts lining up as he began to realize there were no right or wrong in the world as nothing anyone did could be considered right, from the smallest lie to murder, that it was just people convincing themselves that what they were doing was right as to spare their own conscious from the repercussions that guilt brought with it. 

An escape.

Seraph stared at his coffee as a feeling rose in him… he didn’t get an escape. He didn’t get to have this kind of ignorance nor was he able to lie to himself, and no one would help him feign that kind of reasoning. Seraph began to paint a picture for himself, one that was blood stained, filled with suffering that built up only to the hands of those with wealth as they were able to control everything that happened in a country, whether it was America with the curtain of lies that politicians painted or it be another country where they had direct control of resources due to being the owners of industrial and agricultural plantations. Seraph came to the conclusion that now that things were presented in the light that was only truth to him, things needed to change, and that although there weren’t very many who could do it, he ventured he could by running his own campaign, by trying to take over in the most peaceful way possible as to avoid the needless bloodshed that would befall him otherwise. As he sipped his coffee, he heard a deep like whisper that tore him away from his thoughts, the shadow sitting across from him, it’s voice coming out in a hushed tone, a whisper that was harsh as it reached its claws into his arm. 

“We both know what you really want Harrison, you want everyone dead.” 

Seraph gave a startled look before he whispered, careful as to not let it off that he might be going crazy 

“No, why would I want that?!” 

The shadow chuckled again and its claws reached deeper, tugging at his very veins, threatening to pull them free, still beating, still pumping his life through his body, distended and taken. 

“We both know that in the end, you’ll choose revenge Seraph… you’re beginning to wake up again… you’re beginning to remember in your heart what it is that tears at you, what makes you incomplete… what it is that makes you a nobody. What it is that makes you exactly like me… A shadow.” 

With emphasis on the last words, it opened it’s claw and Seraph sat there as he thought about it, thinking of what the shadow said, and slowly Seraph began to smile, a smile that drew upon his face that only those who’ve reached the deepest of the abyss’ can hold, one that did not defy the darkness….

But accepted it instead. 

Seraph arrived back, his face holding a smile though for the first time in a while, his eyes looked as if he was in a far off place. The director welcomed him with a handshake as he had completed his mission exactly as she ordained, the only death being of the woman who spoke to him rather than begging for her life. The director stopped and looked at him as they walked toward the door with the card lock 

"Seraph, you're to go on temporary dismissal as I've stated, if you want, you can come and go as you please, after all, I'm never going to tell you that you can't go to your office or visit with co-workers, just don't bother anyone too much else I won't let you spend your time here…” 

Seraph looked at her and nodded absently before going inside. Tyran found him once he entered the office spaces again and looked at him 

"Hey, you said you needed to talk to Seras, I thought you weren't really chatty with her?" 

Seraph stopped and Tyran stopped too as Seraph spoke, his tone heavy 

"I need her for something that I'm going to use on my next mission. Simple as that, after all, gotta spare everyone but the target." 

Tyran smiled a little before Seraph turned and headed straight for Dr. Aine's office, the health care official of the branch and someone close to Seras who would most likely know where she was. Seraph entered the small office, stocked full of medical supplies separated into different rooms, the smell of medicine apparent. He knocked on the door 

"Doctor Aine, are you here?”

Aine yelled from her office, her accent thick yet still understandable 

“Yes!” 

Seraph walked into her office and looked at her, a long, red haired woman, her face glued to her computer as her green eyes scanned contents typed, a short lab coat on her, her body thin, almost frail 

"What's on the agenda today for you doc? Any patients?"   
Seraph had taken small interest in her, always curious of Aine's background since the CIA tended to pick the best of the best yet... Aine was of German descent, she could have been a spy. Though by this point, Seraph didn't care. Aine smiled cheerfully. 

“Actually I'm designing something that would definitely benefit the masses!” she held out a blueprint, getting excited. “Oh! Yes, many patients today, different injuries and illnesses!". 

Seraph looked at the blueprint before he looked back at her "What's the project might I ask?" 

He saw her excitement, usual considering her interest in anatomy since the diploma's certifications and honors of her thesis in Geneology. He smiled at her "Always the same for Doctor 'One'" Seraph laughed, Aine's nickname for her German connection making her name close to the number 

"A personal healthcare companion!” She spread out the sheet. “She can perform surgery, dispense medicine, anything. Perfect for elderly and to take on missions!"  

Seraph looked at the blueprints before he gave a confused look "You've made her to look exactly like a human... her insides are all medical purposed and her batteries are interconnected throughout her body;... one goes down..." He looked at her "The others stay up. Did you submit this to the R&D department or are you going to try and scrounge up the resources? After all... there isn't such a thing as biosynthetic yet, she has to be malleable like a real human but... pretty rough on the inside, containers and all. Or did you have a different thought in mind?" 

Seraph put down the blueprints and looked at her. 

"I'll be finding my own sources, the R&D is too cheap to let me perform. Though I have been looking at stem cells as a base since they would copy anything, so the thought is, can human genetics mix with robotics…” 

Seraph stared at her, before he slowly began to think, letting his thoughts take hold of him. Seraph closed the door and spoke 

"I think that you're correct, stem cells are probably the best way to go but... the problem with humans is that our cells degenerate without any consistent nutrition and fueling consistent to the stem cells. A robotic body would work... but you should instead aim to synthesize. What I mean by that is what if.... you could mix the synthetic energy system of a plant that can self-sustain and human cells to keep the malleability and flexibility? Then maybe... you could create a successful biosynthetic that bonds between human and cyborg... and if possible, make it so consumption of plants refuel and refresh the cells that have degraded too much..." Seraph sighed before he smiled again, looking toward Aine "Does that sound like a working idea? Sorry, just thinking out loud!”

He laughed before Aine nodded thoughtfully. “That would be the missing component needed, though I think I have a plant in mind. So what did you come down here for Mr. Seraph?”

She looked at him this time. Seraph acted as if he remembered what he needed to be there for before he looked at Aine 

"That woman I always see you with, Seras, do you happen to know where she is? I hear she's a hacking expert and I need her for a mission later.” 

Aine chuckled and looked at him." You sure you're asking the right person? Seras is my assistant, she's usually out for lunch at the cafe". She picked up some paperwork as Seraph shrugged 

"It's either her or I have to go through paperwork, best to ask her directly. Thanks, want me to bring you anything from the cafeteria or is the usual candy bar good enough for you?" 

He looked at her before she paused a moment before smirking, having already known the answer the moment he asked it 

”Hmmm, how about a candy bar and a sandwich would be nice, thank you very much. You'll do anything to get out of doing paperwork!” She laughed as Seraph opened the door again and smiled 

"Hate that stuff, gives me goosebumps just thinking about it... Thanks!”

Aine rolled her eyes playfully and went back to work as Seraph began his trek down to the cafe before he stood amongst the mass of agents who sat talking, Seraph looking around to spot Seras. His eyes scanned for her, a woman with black hair that hung to her back much like his did, glasses to cover her brown eyes, while having a more curvy physique, healthy and fit. Soon Seraph spotted Seras as she was eating her lunch, sitting by herself reading a book. Seraph smiled toward the lone woman and quickly went and sat down across from her 

"Hey, earth to Seras, what book are you reading this time?" 

He smiled at her before she blushed and dropped her book.

"O-oh Seraph! I didn't see you there, I was just reading a mystery book.” 

Seraph gave a small look of surprise before he smiled at her 

“Must be a good book, didn't mean to catch you off guard. What's it about?" 

Seraph looked at the book and pointed to it. "Oh it's just a murder mystery, it takes place when the black dahlia case was out. It's pretty interesting". 

She fixed her glasses as Seraph nodded. "I see, I honestly always took you for more of a... Sci-Fi reader but this is something I can see you enjoy a lot more." 

He continued nodding before he looked at her "So, I'd like to trade some work if you'll do something for me. Any errands Aine has you on of dire importance or anything I can do to earn your help on a mission of mine later?” 

Seras stopped reading her book, marking the word she was on, ”What kind of work? If you can, I have to go to the histology unit to pick up organs to perform a biopsy for her." 

She fiddled with her book before Seraph pulled out a thumb drive, a regular civilian issue, 128GB and sighed. "I need you to use your hacking skills, create not just one but as many trojan horse viruses you can on this one, all that hide the real virus, one that corrupts, disables and locks security systems. If possible, I need you to make it so this trojan horse can't be detected and of course can spread like wildfire over each and any system in contact with information flow. More or less... the ultimate virus. If you can't do it, I understand, if you need time, then I definitely can understand, I'll do as many jobs as you want, but I do need this." 

He put the drive down in front of her "And if you say no, as a bonus, I'll still help you out." He smiled at her, Seraph would correct this world… and he would do it by killing it with his own power. After all….

The world was wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a book!
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0756RVWS4


End file.
